Tintin Forums

Slight movie spoiler alert


Yeah, you're right; the way that Haddock's being sober or drunk supposedly affects his memory is kind of inconsistently handled in the movie. Generally, it's implied that because he's permanently drunk he's unable to remember the important family information. But in this scene, he seems to need to start drinking again to recall the story, and it does seem a bit dodgy for Snowy to be encouraging his intake. (Forgive me if I'm misremembering the details of this scene, but I do remember thinking there was a bit of an inconsistency at the time of watching it.)

In the book of The Crab with the Golden Claws, Haddock's alcoholism is handled much more straightforwardly: when he's drinking he's a complete danger to himself and Tintin; when he's sober he's repentent and fairly useful. I think it's this moral clarity that makes the portaryal of alcoholism in the book completely appropriate for children, not just in spite of all the disturbing violence but actually because of all the disturbing violence. Even when Haddock's violent alcoholic behaviour is funny, there's no way any child would want to emulate it.

And the one time in the book when Haddock's alcoholism seems to have a benefit, in enabling him to chase away the Berbers, it quickly transpires that they were actually fleeing from the Lieutenant and his men.

And although alcohol plays its part in Haddock's recounting of his ancestor' story in the book of The Secret of the Unicorn, there's nothing to suggest that he wouldn't have been able to discover and recount the story from the chest just as well if he'd been sober.

Captain Haddock, like all the rest of the Tintin-verse, is a product of his time. Times were very different when Hergé was writing the series. His portrayal of the Captain reminded me a lot about the portrayal of Otis Campbell, Mayberry's town drunk from The Andy Griffith Show--played for laughs. Yet, TAGS is still considered a family-friendly show, just as Tintin is, as Hergé aptly put it, for kids "from 7 to 77."

Quite frankly, I never knew what to make of the Captain's drinking being played for laughs in the books as I was growing up. Did it make me want to drink? Like Tintinrulz said, of course not. In fact, I'm a teetotaler, despite having admired the Captain for years. And I didn't find it offensive, either. But I always did find it... odd to see his alcoholism constantly played for laughs. As I mentioned in the movie review thread, I did like the dramatic take on it and how he felt badly about being a hindrance to Tintin when drunk--something which he only did once in the books (Explorers on the Moon, after the whole Adonis fiasco).


I'll agree wholeheartedly with the tragic figure part (which makes his reformations all the better), but I really did not like seeing the Captain attack Tintin--not when they're supposed to be such good friends (yes, granted, they only just met at this point, but still...)!

Rose, I don't think you're meant to like that scene. It shows the dangers of getting drunk and how the Captain Haddock didn't really know Tintin, so he hadn't yet been transformed by their friendship. The scene's meant to be disturbing and slightly scary. That's the whole point. Removing that moment takes away something of the Captain's personal journey from tragic figure to loyal friend (with some flaws). Yes, the Captain is someone very different in much of "Crab", but we love him because he becomes something more.

I'm with Tintinrulz on that one. I think that act of violence is important: the lowest, most dangerous point in Haddock's pattern of drinking (yet still darkly humorous!) It's got the sort of violent extremity you get in silent movie comedies: a willingness to really go for the best comedic idea and take it to the necessary extreme without holding back, a kind of no-holds-barred approach which you often need in good physical comedy and good drama alike. The TV version sounds like a bland watered-down version (as so much of that series seems to be from what I've seen of it).

Anyway, Tintin has a bit of a habit of making lifelong friends with people who have tried to kill him – Skut and Alcazar being the two other examples that come to mind. He's admirably forgiving!

Yes, the TV series is tamed down in some respects but it's still enjoyable. The music is especially good!

Good point--in which case, Hergé definitely succeeded!


This is true, and I've found it an interesting point to his character--he is very trusting. Though, on rare occasions, it does end up coming back to haunt him (Pablo in Picaros comes to mind).

Even then, the Captain is different from those examples since he ends up being a constant companion on Tintin's travels while the others come and go (and how many of them would be willing to cut their lifeline on a Tibetan mountain in order to save our hero? Not many, I'll wager!). And I think that is what makes the bottle-to-the-head scene all the more shocking (especially if you read the books out of order like I did; Tibet was my first, and Crab was among the last ones I read).

But I am willing to agree with the fact that it is the Captain's behavior in Crab that does provide an amazing contrast to what he eventually became.

Oh, that explains it. The Crab with the Golden Claws was one of the first Tintin books I read. So, his behaviour was still a shock but not to that degree.

I don't find anything wrong with Captin Haddck drinking-as long as he dosn't encourage whoever's reading it to drink (reafering to children).

I don't think children are exactly encouraged to drink by Captain Haddock's alcoholism. If anything, it shows us why you should not drink.

it's the contrast between the personalities of Tintin and Captain Haddock who makes the interest of their friendship,it appears that despite his weaknesses, captain Haddock is a good and reliable guy, like Tintin is. It's also a good lesson of tolerance and friendship.